WASHINGTON, D.C. (LEX 18) — No cell phones, no emails — to stay in touch with a loved one stationed overseas during the Vietnam War, families relied on snail mail.
For soldiers, receiving mail might have been their only escape from war. Mail might as well have been tangible morale. To tap into that nostalgia all these years later, Honor Flight Kentucky enlisted friends, family and even strangers to write their veterans for a traditional "mail call" during the final hours of this weekend's trip.
In those days, letters reached Vietnam in as little as three days thanks to innovations in cargo containers and automated location tracking, according to USPS.
David Brown could hardly wait for his letters.
When asked who would have been writing him, he excitedly answered, "Well, my wife! She wasn't then but she is now…and she even wrote one today."
He's keeping that letter close to his chest but was eager to share a stack of cards sent from a Sunday school class.
"Thank you for your service," Brown said, reading from the children's notes. "Thank you for keeping the country safe."
"All these little kids, they're probably five to seven-years-old in this class at church. For all of them to sit down and take the time to write me a little note..." Brown said.
Back then, snail mail traveled by air, land and sea. Occasionally, aerial deliveries dropped camouflaged mail bags to troops in the jungles of Vietnam.
Honor Flight mail call looked a little different in the air conditioned airport, but the sentiment remained the same.
"This is how it was when I was in the service," said Mike Breiner. "My mom wrote me three times every day."
From basic training to Germany, Breiner's mom never missed a day. His family made sure he felt that love during the Honor Flight.
"My oldest grandson is turning 20 this year, and he couldn't say granddaddy or grandfather when he wa little, so he come up with the word Goggie," Breiner said, holding up a letter with the name "Goggie" printed on front.
Mail call made for a sentimental end to the veterans' time in Washington, D.C.
One by one they received some nostalgia — signed, sealed, delivered.
